BR port could terminate company’s lease

BR port could terminate company’s lease

The Port of Greater Baton Rouge will consider this week whether to terminate the lease of a start-up that was going to dry and sort sand at the port’s Inland Rivers Marine Terminal in Port Allen.

The $10 million facility, which was going to prepare sand to barge out for use by oil and gas companies drilling in domestic markets, will not be built after Alabama-based GNS Frac LLC informed the port that it lost its main investor.

Port Director Jay Hardman said plummeting natural gas prices dimmed the facility’s prospects. He said letting GNS Frac out of the lease will allow the port to market the 24-acre property.

The port’s next commission meeting is Thursday.

Lynn Nolen, president of GNS Frac, told a port committee earlier this year that the plant would employ up to 40 people with an annual payroll of $2.5 million.